In aircraft, flight control surfaces are used to control the motion of the aircraft though the air. These control surfaces direct airflow to affect pitch, roll, and yaw of the aircraft and are operated though cockpit controls. The roll and pitch are primarily controlled by either a control yoke or a stick. A rudder that controls the yaw is controlled by rudder petals. Other control surfaces may also be employed such as the V-tail ruddervator, flaperon, or elevons. Additionally, an aircraft may have wing flaps for altering the wing shape, and slats, spoilers and air brakes for slowing the aircraft.
While control surfaces are key to an aircraft operation while moving though the air, the surfaces are subject to wind forces while the aircraft is stationary. To keep the surfaces from moving while the aircraft is not in operation, a device known as a gust lock is used. A gust lock is used to keep the control surfaces and linkages from damage due to wind. Many gust locks on commercial aircraft are internal to the aircraft and use a pin on the yoke. Some have suggested using a cord tied to the internal yokes to prevent aileron movement. While both the yoke pin and cords are useful, the rudder in these cases is not protected. To assist in the protection of ailerons and rudders, others have devised a cord that tied to both the yoke and the rudders to restrict movement. Aircraft that use a control stick must restrict the stick internally or use external gust locks. Internal gust locks can be large and cumbersome, adding unwanted weight to the aircraft. An internal gust lock does restrict movement but may cause stress on the internal control linkage.
The typical external gust lock will use some type of leverage between a fixed surface and the movable control surface to stabilize the movement. While there are many variations of the external gust lock device, none of the present field employs a method for securing multiple types of control surfaces.